1575. it a valiant and honest man after this country manner. And here I thought fit to remember likewise Ely or O'Carrell's country, though the same be of the province of Munster, yet adjoining in land and neighbourhood to the countries aforenamed. He came unto me, being in the Queen's County, and desireth to hold his land of her Majesty, and offereth a very large rent and service. He hath of long time been answerable to the law, and obedient to the direction of the Governor. "The last of this province in this my account is the county of Kilkenny, which I find in very bad case, and by many due circumstances proved to be the sink and receptacle of innumerable cattle and goods stolen out of many other countries, but undone by their own idle men, and partly by harbouring of protected rebels, which yet was done by order, and for avoiding a greater or at the least a more present mischief. Here Rory Oge came unto me, upon the Earl of Ormond's word, and in the cathedral church of Kilkenny submitted himself, repenting (as he said) his former faults, and promising hereafter to live in better sort, (for worse than he hath been he cannot be, for by him the greatest spoils and disorders have been committed upon the Queen's County and the Pale). I accepted him upon entreaty and trial of amendment till my return, and both lessoned him and threatened him for his former faults, so that I stand in some hope he will live more quietly and orderly than he hath done, renouncing that aspiring imagination of title to the country, which if he do not, and content himself with such a portion of freehold as I shall allot and think meet for him, he shall be the first that will repent the match, for he shall forego life, land, and all, otherwise I will fail much of my purpose, for so I have given him warning, and will keep touch with him if I can. town likewise the Earl of Ormond feasted and entreated me very honorably, and accompanied me to this city very courteously, where I was received with all shows and tokens of gladness and pomp, as well upon the water as the land presented me with the best commodity they had." At this "In passing through the counties and countries I have heretofore spoken of to your Lps., I left each of them, before my departure from them, under government and guard (for the most part) according to their own devices, which they thought would be most for their safeties and commodities till my return. Some I left to themselves and to the guard of their own borders, as they desired, yet with authority sufficient to levy force among themselves if needs so required. Some other parts I left well guarded with the garrison and other sufficient strength of their own, for such was their desire, and so, by conference with them of their states, it seemed best and likeliest to me. I placed the Baron of Upper Ossory Lieutenant of the King's and Queen's Counties and divers Irish countries adjoining. The like authority I left with the Earl of Ormond of the two counties of Kilkenny and Tipperary: so that I find in all the 34. 35. places I have yet passed the people remain in good confidence, being so provided for and guarded as they be, to remain in good quiet till my return." Waterford, 15 Dec. 1575. Signed. "Note, that the latter end of this letter is omitted, for that it concerned only cesse, treasure, and victual." * Copy. Pp. 7. THE REVENUE. "A brief declaration of the Queen's revenue in Ireland in anno 1575," by Thomas Jenison, auditor of Ireland. Lands and possessions.-The ancient inheritance, 7561. 91d. Attainted lands, 8931. 158. 4d. Lands of the late religious houses, 6,6087. 128. 114d. Tributes of Irishmen, 271. 78. 4d. Compositions with divers Irishmen for the bonnought money, 6011. 68. 8d. Escheated lands, 4l. 198. "Procuration," 60l. 78. Casualties.--Lands of wards, 2001. Subsidies, 2007. Twentieth parts of spiritual promotions, 300l. Forfeited merchandises, 131. 68. 8d. Hanaper, 801. Hanaper, 801. Fines for homages, 41. Moneys payable by sheriffs, 2001. "Profer' major et vic' cum finibus eorundem," 6l. 138. 4d. Fines for the marriages of wards, 10. For liveries of lands, 50l. For alienations, 131. 68. 8d. Forfeitures of recognizances, 201. First fruits, 1001. Clerk of the crown, 6l. 13s. 4d. Fines for leases for term of years, 207. Star Chamber, 201. Customs on wines, 8001. Total, 10,9967. 98. Od., from which sum the following are to be deducted : Fees and wages of the Lord Treasurer, the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, the Under Treasurer, and other officers, 1,787. 118. 114d. Constables and soldiers of castles and keepers of the Queen's houses, 273l. 44d. Annuities granted for term of life, 325l. 168. 8d. Annuities and pensions issuing from divers religious houses, 150l. Stipend of Christ Church, with 1008. granted for the stipend of the curate of Balliboughell, 65. 88. 10d. Allowance for rents, 73l. 48. 10d. Necessary expenses, 2671. 98. 8d. Total, 2,9421. 12s. 4‡d. So there remains towards the payment of the army in Ireland, the sum of 8,053l. 168. 8d. Lat. Pp. 2. Endd. [The PRIVY COUNCIL] to the LORD DEPUTY. By your letters of 4th November and 15th December, we perceive the travail that you have taken to visit and establish first the North and now the South and West parts of that realm. Other weighty affairs have hitherto been a let from answering with speed. At this present, for the dispatch * See the Privy Council's reply to this letter, 24th January 1575-6. 1576. of this bearer your servant, we make answer to such particulars as are for the time most requisite. "First, touching your motion that Chatterton and his partners should be compounded withal for the Fewze and O'Hanlon's country, the which is all one cause, and in your opinion agreeable with that of Captain Malbie's for Rynnaliaritie or McCarten's country, it is meet that both of them shall be very shortly treated with, and your L. thereupon to be advertised to what points they may be brought, to the intent you may direct your proceedings accordingly." Upon the good report that you make of the inclination of McGennes to obedience, and his desire to take his country of her Majesty's grant to him and his heirs males of his body, it is intended, for his advancement, to make him a baron, according to your motion; "but for so much as we do not understand whether it be meant that he shall have the grant of the captainry by inheritance, and the land only which he holdeth presently at his own freehold, leaving the rest to other freeholders that presently have the same in occupation, whereof we think there are many, or else to grant to him the captainry of the whole, we would willingly understand your meaning. If it be meant of the whole, it is not thought reasonable, neither in this nor in any other of that nature." The rent of 100l. yearly is thought very mean for McGennes's country, that is far greater than the country of O'Hanlons, which you esteem to be valued at 2001. yearly. "This answer touching McGennes, unless it be in that point to be made a baron, may serve you in the consideration of McMahound's petition, or any other that is or may be moved to you in that kind, with this general advertisement, that the more freeholders and possessioners that you can erect in every country to hold of her Majesty, the better service you shall do her in our opinions. Touching Sarleboi's petition, we would gladly understand your opinion to whom you think meetest of those kinds of Scots that the Glynnes and the Rowte should be granted unto, because of the diversity of the competitors, as James McConnell's sons, Sarleboie, and the request made for the second son of James McConnell by the Lady O'Neall. In which consideration of placing of any of James McConnell's sons, it shall not be unnecessary that you foresee the greatness which by that means may be betwixt Tirloughe Lennoughe and him, in respect of the alliance between them. "We would gladly also understand your intention touching the disposition of Clandeboy, and whether it be not meet to have a captain there, who, joining with such as shall be captain of the Rowte, may withstand Sarleboie and hold him in order. "Tirloughe Lennoughe's requests set down in articles, and postiled in the margents with our opinions, shall be sent unto 1576. you herewith." He shall be created Earl during his life, and his son is to be Baron. Touching your motion for the increase of the ordinary pay of the soldiers, we think the precedent thereof may be over chargeable, considering the burthen this realm already sustaineth towards the charge there; as also the soldiers may be better satisfied, for that from henceforth their payment shall be more sure and certain than it hath been of late time, when their payments have been more doubtful." "In explanation of her Majesty's meaning touching the 20,000l. yearly assigned unto you out of this realm, it is intended also that the revenues growing of that realm shall be issued from time to time by your warrant to the Vice-Treasurer of the Exchequer there, first having regard that all civil officers and patents payable with the revenues of that realm be thereof paid their entertainment as hath been accustomed. And to that effect we do presently write our letters to Sir Edward Fitton, the Vice-Treasurer aforesaid. "For the composition for the cesse that you write of to be made with the gentlemen and inhabitants of the English Pale, it is not thought convenient that her Majesty should give such freedoms and exemptions upon the acceptation of the composition of 1,000 soldiers as that she should be thereby concluded to impose any cesse in case upon any extraordinary accident there should be occasion of the use of any greater number of soldiers for the pacification of any rebellion there, or for the defence against any foreign invasion. Nevertheless if in the respect of victualling 1,000 soldiers, they may be drawn to contribute 2,000l. yearly, we do think in that case her Majesty may be inducted to give them exemptions accordingly for the proportion of such a number. "The inclination of Henry O'Neale, son of Shane O'Neale, being best known to you there, it hath been thought meet to reserve the disposition of him to your L. own discretion. "Upon understanding of your L. loving entertainment off the citizens of Waterford at the time of your passage by them, we do presently send you for them our letters of thanks both in her Majesty's behalf and in our name; and the like we do to Sir Lucas Dillon, for his travail, pains, and good assistance of you in all your journeys and causes of her Majesty's service. To the rest that have accompanied you we pray your L. to yield thanks in our behalf.” Hampton Court, 24 January 1575. Contemp. copy. Pp. 4. Headed incorrectly: From the Queen to the Lord Deputy. * Qu. mistake for refer. 1576. Feb. [27]. Vol. 601, p. 46a. 36. SIR HENRY SYDNEY to the PRIVY COUNCIL. From Waterford, on 15th December last, I wrote of my passage through Meath and Leinster. The English Pale is in quiet, through the careful service of my Lord of Upper Ossory, whom I left my lieutenant of the King's and Queen's Counties. My expedition in these parts is now ended, and I am ready to pass into another province. The night after I departed from Waterford I lodged at Corraghemore, the house that the Lord Power is baron of. The Poerne country is one of the best ordered countries in the English Pale, through the suppression of coyne and livery. They are both willing and able to bear any reasonable subsidy towards the finding and entertaining of soldiers and civil ministers of the laws; and the lord of the country, though possessing far less territory than his neighbour, lives in show far more honorably and plentifully than he or any other in that province. Albeit the soil is for the most part barren, yet there is no gentleman or freeholder in that country but may make more of an acre of land there than they have of three in the county of Kilkenny, where the soil is very good, or in the Decies next adjoining on the other side. Of the Decies Sir James FitzGerald is chief lord. "His brother was Viscount of the same, who being the first so created, and dying without issue male, his lands (though not his title) descended to this gentleman, who is one of bad government; and so it well appeareth, for being left by his brother and other friends very rich, is since much spent, and almost no better than a bankrout." His lands are four times as much as my Lord Power's, and yet made so waste, that competent food cannot be found for a mean family in good order, yet are there harboured and live more idle vagabonds than good cattle bred. The rest of that country is either in mean gentlemen's hands, (who have had long continuance of antientie and dwelling there,) or else in citizen's hands of Waterford, by purchase or mortgage. But all are desirous of reformation. From thence I came to Dungarvan Castle, where I lodged three nights, and whither the Earl of Desmond came to me and humbly offered his service. That town, of late, is much decayed by the rebellion of James Fitz Maurice, but in great hope of amendment by the diligent travail of Henry Davells, constable of the castle there. I passed from Dungarvan to Sir John of Desmond's, leaving Yoghall, for they were not able to receive me and my train by reason of the great spoils done upon them in the rebellion. Passing out of the county of Waterford I entered the county of Cork, and from Sir John's came to the Lord Barrie's, and on the 23 December arrived at Cork, where I was received with all joyfulness, tokens, and shows. I abode there six weeks. The townsmen received half of the soldier's wages for his board, fire, and lodging. That city well approves |